Sport

IN MID APRIL, North Warrandyte resident Michelle Chan set out to complete a home isolation ultra-marathon — which is a continuous run of more than 42.2 kilometres within the confines of one’s own property.

After 9 hours, and 294 laps of an approximately 150-metre-long loop of her block, she had done it.

Michelle joins a growing number of global runners, who have managed to find a way to continue to do what they love: to run a long way, for a long time, within the scope of their country’s restrictions.

In some countries, runners have done this by running laps of their balcony or their dining room table (with some courses measuring a mere 30 metres).

In the pre-COVID-19 world, Michelle was preparing to tackle her first 100-kilometre event, Surf Coast Century in Lorne in September.

In April 2019, she finished her first 50km event in the Blue Mountains at Ultra Trail Australia (UTA50).

“After completing UTA50 with some friends, we started planning some events out, so I did Two Bays in January, the 56km, and the other plan was to do Surf Coast Century.”

But training for a large event such as Two Bays or Surf Coast Century is a very different experience to waking up one day and deciding to hang laps around the yard.

“So all the other nutters on the Victorian Ultra Runners (VUR) Facebook Page started doing these iso runs during Stage 2, and I like challenges.

“Being in Warrandyte, I don’t have a small back yard so I thought it was possible.

“I had a few other friends do it, I planned a weekend with nice weather and then once I said it, I had to do it.

“I had been planning it for a few weeks and it wasn’t until my husband started analysing my route around the garden as well, I thought ‘okay, I’ve got my support crew’”.

The Victorian Ultra Running community may have upward of 2,600 members but it is a community who know each other, VUR founder, and Doncaster resident, Jon Lim has been responsible for several social challenges, which see members hitting trails for elevation or distance, so I asked him why there had been so much appeal when he first suggested the community took up the challenge of running a self-isolation ultra at home.

“It was the community; it has always been about the community.

“I posted the question about the isolation ultra and within a week, seven people had done it, and they were all wearing their VUR tops — I had people messaging me asking if they can get a top so they can run their isolation ultra in it.

“People just want to be part of that community, you know — with a group like that, if you suggest an idea, you often don’t have to push very hard to get people to do it.”

Seeing uptake of the idea, Jon asked Melbourne based running coach Chris Wright to administer the Self Isolation Running Facebook group, which has grown from being a small offshoot of the VUR Facebook Group to a truly international affair with some of its 1,300 members in the UK, Spain and the USA.

I asked Chris where he thinks the attraction lies in running laps of one’s property.

“I think once that seed of ‘I can possibly do this’ takes root then ‘boom’, they’re off.

“I think having a safe forum where they can celebrate it is also what attracts people,” he said.

Another feature of the home ultra movement has been the extent in which people are documenting their runs.

While some are simply uploading photos and screenshots of Strava, others (and there are quite a few) have shot video, even livestreamed their attempt via Facebook.

“It’s great to watch, it’s a bit like test cricket, you know there is not much happening but it is nice to check in to see if anything has happened.

“It adds a bit of accountability too, there could be people there who have been cheering you on, so when it gets hard, to have that bit of leverage and support from social media goes a long way.

“For people whose hobby and love is being outside and in remote areas, this situation has caused people to change the way they do things to hit those core values, and it has mutated to be something that is really amazing.

“In these times where there is so much political stuff going on, maybe there is something quite refreshing about watching someone run 50 kilometres in their backyard, on a live feed, and not to have to worry about [things like] the toilet paper that has run out on the shelves of the supermarket,” said Chris.

As in other areas, and as has been documented in other parts of this edition, it is a sense of community, and of one’s own accountability driving people to do these extraordinary things in unusual times.

For Michelle, with her home-grown support crew and friends who “deliberately went for their walks” at the same time to cheer her on mid-way, she did not need to resort to livestreaming for her own attempt.

Although she has no intention of running nearly 300 laps of her yard again, the community around her has celebrated her achievement.

THE MIRACLE on Grass had nothing on the ending of the Under 18 Grand Final.

Many in the Warrandyte cricketing fraternity will remember where they were on the final ball of the day, when Halley Simpson’s straight drive brought up the game-winning four and a maiden Under 18s Premiership.

A non-result would see first-placed Nunawading take the title and with rain forecast for day two of the fixture it was win or go home.

The feisty Box Hill Reporter decider had it all.

A screamer from behind the stumps, a smashed car windshield, an extraordinary batting collapse and a nerve-rattled Warrandyte crowd.

The visitors were handed the pink kookaburra in the twilight match to get the game underway.

Giant-killers strike hard with the ball

Co-captains Brady Poole and Chris Rakuscek took the new ball and were faced with locking down Nunawading’s star batsman; a player who, until the Grand Final, had averaged 107 for the season.

Reputations mattered little to Poole.

On the sixth ball of his first over, he had Nunawading’s star player out for a duck, trapped LBW to get the innings off to a flyer.

Valuable wicket would be understating it.

The score-line quickly read 2/11 after Rakuscek joined in to claim his first of the day, caught behind by wicket-keeper Flynn Whetters.

Nunawading recovered with a 58-run partnership in the middle overs, but this would be the bulk of their runs for the innings as Warrandyte’s bowlers began to up the carnage.

Tom Jackson rolled in and ripped the partnership in two, taking the wickets of both batsman very quickly, to wrench back the momentum.

The 22nd Over took full marks for pure bowler devastation, courtesy of Blake Haslam in the first over after drinks, one the home side would never recover from.

Ball one saw Haslam’s delivery clatter into the stumps for an immediate strike.

Three searing dot balls followed as he continued to unsettle the opposition.

Ball five caught the outside edge at pace and looked to be going well past Flynn Whetters behind the stumps — until he stuck out the glove to reel in a one-handed screamer.

Ball six also caught the edge but Whetters was able to easily drag it in for Haslam’s third wicket of the over.

A game-changing one.

Poole returned in the 23rd and claimed a crucial wicket-maiden.

Warrandyte had claimed 4/0 to send Nunawading tumbling to 8/76.

A mini tail-order resistance at the end was disrupted by Rakuscek with a sharp caught and bowled for the ninth wicket.

Blake Haslam took the honour of the 10th, finishing with a marquee performance of 4/8 and helping to bundle out the opposition for 99.

The equation was now deathly simple.

With 13 overs to bat and rain on the horizon for day two, Warrandyte would need 100 runs on the dot for Premiership glory, with their batsman allowed the license to hit.

Ice-man Simpson etches himself into the history books

The message from Warrandyte’s skippers was clear.

Go, and go hard.

Harry Brown and Chris Rakuscek were charged with getting the innings underway and Brown enthusiastically swung the bat with vigour to get Warrandyte off to the perfect start — 11 runs off the first over.

Rakuscek got off the mark with three runs and Brown crunched one to the mid-on boundary before he was forced to depart after being caught.

Blake Haslam took no time settling in with a couple of boundaries before he was caught for 11 and Brady Poole signalled his intentions with a first-ball four.

At the end of the sixth over Warrandyte found themselves 2/50 with the game well and truly in the balance.

The two co-captains went to work and managed to put on a 46-run partnership.

Controversy reigned as Poole was seemingly dismissed on a no-ball and after being re-called proceeded to launch the only six of the match, a towering shot straight over the bowlers head and squarely into the windshield of Bailey Bowyers car.

Poole was eventually dismissed for 26 off 23 deliveries and with three overs to go and 22 needed, the intensity was ramped up to 100.

Max Coutts was sent in to club a few runs and managed a boundary before he was dismissed.

Rakuscek departed for an anchoring 22 off 22.

Tom Jackson received a less than enthusiastic reception to the middle and he was suddenly dismissed to reduce Warrandyte to 6/87.

Tom Heffernan came in and with no hesitation launched a valuable boundary to cow corner, but his subsequent dismissal on the second ball of the final over left the score at 7/92.

Eight runs to win, Halley Simpson and Gus Ramsdale at the crease.

A ghostly Warrandyte crowd couldn’t take it.

Several were on their haunches, but they needn’t have worried.

Simpson’s first ball was dispatched for four runs.

He played the fourth ball of the over for two runs.

Two runs needed for victory.

A dot on the second last ball of the day had the crowd on the edge of their seat.

Two off the final ball would secure the Premiership for Warrandyte.

The bowler placed his delivery on a length and with absolutely no hesitation whatsoever, Simpson pounced on it with a textbook, lofted straight drive over mid-off.

Even before the ball hit the fence, the team and the crowd were in raptures and members of both groups alike rushed to the middle to swarm Warrandyte’s hero.

The campaign, which features real Victorian women instead of professional athletes or toned Instagram models, last year inspired an incredible one in five Victorian women to get moving.

The campaign is empowering women to smash their fears of judgement and intimidation holding them back from being active.

Before the campaign, VicHealth research showed a staggering 52 per cent of Victorian women worried about being judged while exercising.

Now over three quarters of women who’ve seen the campaign feel it has helped women increase their confidence and overcome their fear of being judged when being active.

More than 400,000 Victorian women have been empowered to get active as a result of the This Girl Can campaign.

The This Girl Can launch in Nillumbik was attended by Eltham local and Richmond AFLW star Sabrina Frederick, who said public life was a “constant battle between what other people think and what you are doing”.

“When I started playing football, it was a very male-dominated sport and you get it into your head that it’s not for you or you’re not strong enough,” she said.

“But as time goes on you get more confident.

“Over time you realise it’s not about other people, it’s about what you want to do and what you want to achieve.”

VicHealth’s Melanie Fineberg says the program isn’t about making women feel bad about not exercising enough, it’s about celebrating what they can do, whether that’s a walk around the block or a few laps of the pool.

“We want to help women focus on the feeling of being active, instead of their worries about being judged, by showing a range of everyday women being physically active regardless of their background, ability, age or body shape,” Melanie said.

Women can get involved in a range of fun, inclusive, free or low-cost events being held right across the state as part of This Girl Can Week kicking off on March 23.

Local councils are offering a range of programs as part of the initiative.

Spokesperson for Manningham said: “Council is committed to helping women in Manningham to get more active and lead healthy lifestyles”.

She said to support active living, Council is focused on establishing programs that encouraging physical activity and reducing barriers to participation.

Manningham Council is offering over 30 free classes and activities to women of all ages.
A local highlight is free dancing in the dark with No Lights No Lycra (NLNL).

On Wednesdays, March 18 and 25 2020 Manningham Council is hosting NLNL in the Warrandyte Mechanics Hall.

At this event the lights will be turned off and the tunes will be cranked up so participants can release their inhibitions, move their moods and work up a wild sweat.
NLNL organiser Kim Hunting Thompson said these classes were an extension of the existing popular program she runs at the Mechanics Hall each week.

Kim says Council have also invited her to run the program in Templestowe on Mondays during This Girl Can Week.

Registration for these free sessions is available through the Manningham Council website.

Manningham are also hosting come-and-try clinics in AFL, Hockey, Netball, Volleyball and Lawn Bowls, as well as bike riding lessons and social walks.

Nillumbik Council’s Communications Officer Natalie Town said Nillumbik took part in the program for the first time last year.

“It was such a success we are doing it again this year,” she said.

All of Nillumbik’s five sport and leisure centres and the Yarrambat Golf Course are getting involved again, as are many local sporting clubs.

Eltham Leisure Centre is offering special free classes from March 23–29, everything from Meditation to Spin classes, to Zumba, with free childcare for some sessions.

For more details and to register go to elthamleisurecentre.com.au

Yarrambat Park Golf Course is offering free golf for women during This Girl Can Week, with clubs supplied, plus special clinics for women.

Full details at mygolf.org.au and search ‘Yarrambat’.

Or for something a bit different, head to Skaterz in Eltham for some Roller Derby action.

Find activities and register for events at thisgirlcan.com.au or via your Council’s website: nillumbik.vic.gov.au/thisgirlcan or manningham.vic.gov.au/thisgirl-can.

THE PREMIER running event in every Warrandyte runner’s heart, Run Warrandyte, is back for another lap (or three).

The ninth iteration of the annual event, will be held on Sunday, March 1 and has nominated Guide Dogs Victoria as its official charity partner, allowing participants the opportunity to fundraise to help the charity raise the money needed to breed and train a four-legged companion for those who are vision impaired.

It costs approximately $50,000 to breed and train just one guide dog.

The run is also a great opportunity to raise money for the Warrandyte Sporting Group with a combination of runner fundraising and profits from the run going towards important projects at the Warrandyte Sports Club.

Run Warrandyte Committee member, Michelle Bean, spoke to the Diary about the run and how it has contributed to the Sporting Group over the past eight years.

“To date we have raised a total of $53,000.

“These funds have been put towards past projects such as the new electronic scoreboard.

“Future projects include court and field lighting upgrades, as well as assisting in the enhancement of player training and wellbeing,” she said.

Run Warrandyte 2020 is also doing its part for the environment — the run is making steps to becoming a zero waste event.

Before the event, the committee is encouraging participants to not print their registration confirmations when they come to collect their bibs, instead showing a copy of the confirmation on your smartphone will suffice.

On the day, water on course will be provided in biodegradable cups and packaging, and participants and their families are encouraged to bring their own water bottles or collapsible cups for use during the event, these items are also available to purchase through the event registration website.

The event distances of 2.2, 5, 10 and 15 kilometres will follow the same course as the previous two years, offering 5–15km runners the opportunity to run through picturesque bushland in The Pound.

With assistance of the Day family, these runners will get an opportunity to run a unique course not normally accessible to the public.

“Numbers for the event continue to grow and the committee receive great joy in playing a part in providing a fun day for the community.

WARRANDYTE TENNIS Club players faced off in the Club Championship while their very own Tennis Guru, Coach Craig Haslam, was recognised at the Tennis Victoria awards night.
Haslam was nominated in the category of Coaching Excellence (Club or Centre) and says while he took pride in being a finalist, it was not simply recognition for his own work.
“It was a great honour to be recognised for all of the effort over the past few years,” said Craig.
“But the award also recognises the work of the whole coaching team and the club committee for the incredible work they have done to improve the facilities, participation and standard of the tennis in Warrandyte.”
He is especially pleased in the work that is being put into the next generation with Warrandyte’s youth tennis players turning out in big numbers.
“The most exciting part of the Club Championships this year was that the highest participation was in the Under 10 and Under 12 events, which is great for the future of the club,” he said.
On a day of high-quality tennis, Tristan Jackson claimed the Men’s Championship while Ruby Bradford claimed the Women’s title.
Daniel Mizzi and Erika Hamilton claimed the U18s Men and Women’s Championships respectively while Hamish Pattenden and George Dunkley prevailed in the lower age brackets.

In 1977, Steve J Pascoe was appointed Warrandyte Cricket Club’s first ever Senior Coach.
42 years later, Pascoe walked out onto Warrandyte Reserve to a guard of honour as the club marked his 500th game.
OAM, coach, life member, president, premiership winner, leader, club legend and mentor are just some of the descriptors used when talking about Warrandyte Cricket Club royalty “Stevie P”.
After the ceremony, Pascoe professed his thanks to all in attendance but reserved special and emotional thanks for a fellow Warrandyte legend; wife and 42-year former 1st XI scorer, Ann.
With the formalities complete and a few misty eyes in the crowd, the game commenced and many watched on in contemplation of the career of such a revered character in local cricketing folk-lore.
On what it means to play 500 games, Pascoe jokingly told the Diary “It means I’ve been playing cricket a long time.”
And his secret for cricketing longevity? “Don’t stop.”
He admitted that the guard of honour came as a welcome surprise.
“It struck me as just another day of cricket so it was a bit of a surprise,” he said.
On reflection of his career, Steve admits it’s been the games propensity for positive development and bringing people together that’s often struck him as a highlight.
“It’s an important physical and social outlet and I’ve met a lot of good people with varying degrees of ability because there’s always a grade for everyone to get into and contribute.”
Pascoe is obviously aware of his.
“Winning premierships is always the pinnacle I suppose, but I also got more involved in the administration early on.
“I’ve probably done more off the field than on the field in-regards to administration.
“I just like things running well.”
Close friend and fellow premiership team-mate John Chapman was on hand to summarise Pascoe’s extensive on and off-field CV.
Pascoe’s cricketing career begins before his move to Warrandyte, his first walk to the crease began with Norwood and the Under 16s in 1963.
A 156-game campaign in purple yielded 4050 runs and 502 wickets.

Coach Pascoe

His move to Warrandyte in 1977 was a turning point for the club.
With just three teams across the board, it fell to Steve to lead both Warrandyte’s top-flight side and the continued growth of the club.
He did just that, coaching the ‘Dyte to three 1st XI premierships and into the coveted Chandler Shield.
Flags in 1979/80, 1981/82 and another flag in 1983/84 marked a successful coaching tenure.
By the time he vacated the role, the club had grown to six Senior sides, six Junior sides, and a Womens’ side in the VWCA, which the club is striving to re-form.

On the field

Pascoe’s playing exploits were widely known and appreciated across the league; his competition batting award in 1979/80 was only beaten by the batting and bowling award double in the 1992/93 Chandler 2 season.
His club achievements include three-time 1st XI champion, three-time Senior club champion and seven-time batting award winner across the 1st, 2nd and 3rd XI, as well as five bowling awards.

A team player

His achievements on the pitch are rivalled only by his off-field contributions and passion for making the game a better one for all cricketers.
Over a combined period of 25 years he has served as Club President, Treasurer, Secretary and Chairman of Selectors.
If a role exists at the club it is likely Steve Pascoe has served in that capacity at one time or another.
He became a Club Legend in 1987 and a Life Member in 1990 for exceptional service both on and off the field, and exceptional service it has been.
Further recognition of his contribution to the club is seen every year at the Warrandyte Cricket Club Champion Award Night, renamed the Steve Pascoe Medal count in 2003.

RDCA

Pascoe joined the RDCA committee in 1975 as Secretary.
He served for 11 years in the role before shifting into the Vice Presidency in 1988, again serving for 11 years until he was named President of the Association in 1999 – a position he held for six years.
When he finished up in 2005, RDCA Life Member Stuart Newey noted in the Annual of that year that Pascoe’s “strong conviction” was an important part in bringing about better playing conditions for all players.
“Steve has played a significant part in many reforms aimed at improving cricket playing conditions and the standard of cricket played in the RDCA.
“The position (President) requires a person of strong conviction to take the role… it is obvious that Steve is such a person.”

On the national and international stage

Pascoe was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2016, for exceptional service to the game of cricket.
His overseas endeavours have even seen him play cricket on all but two continents, in places such as Barcelona and Florence.
This includes a Crusaders tour of England where he met the Queen.

56 years not out

Nowadays, Steve continues to umpire high-grade cricket, a role for which he was awarded 2015-2016 RDCA Umpire’s Association Umpire of the Year.
His involvement with the club remains strong, being heavily involved in the In2Cricket program for young cricketers and continuing to impart his extensive knowledge, along with Ann, who both recently held club masterclasses in umpiring and scoring.
And of course, he’s still playing Over 60s cricket with his mates.
At Warrandyte, there is not a lot Steve Pascoe has not done over the course of his 500 games.
Universally loved and revered by all, his laid-back persona carries an unmistakable gravitas to everyone that knows him.

Steve Pascoe
Warrandyte stats overview

JDC1 Saturday 7/9/19

HAVING EMPHATICALLY won their home semi-final against Ferntree Gully two sets to love (with the third drawn) the weekend before, it was time for Warrandyte’s Sunday JDC1 team to travel to HE Parker Reserve in Heathmont for the Grand Final.HE Parker Reserve’s Blue team had led the section all season and had accounted for Warrandyte in both of the home and away encounters but as this match was to play out, finals momentum is far more important than history.
The first set was drawn, but when Warrandyte took the ascendancy in the second set there was no stopping them, running out winners with the final two sets 5-3 6-2.
Well done Warrandyte!

JOSD2 Tuesday 10/9/19

Rain interrupted the Grand Final of the JOSD2 Winter competition between Warrandyte and Emerald.
The teams agreed to hold the rescheduled match on the following Tuesday evening.
Warrandyte made the trek up the mountain for a second time to visit Emerald to complete the match tentatively kicked off in the drizzle of Saturday morning.The home team finished top of the ladder, having not faced Warrandyte all season, as Warrandyte were promoted to the higher grade after three unequivocal walkovers at the start of the season in JOSD3.
The match was Warrandyte’s from the off, as the first set of doubles between the 1 and 2 players went Warrandyte’s way 6-0.
The second set, between Number 3 and 4 players, saw Emerald take a point with a close fought 6-4 to the home team.
The singles all went Warrandyte’s way.
The team’s number one player, Matthew Quick, having not dropped a singles’ set all season, continued his domination of the court, while Kylani Czarnecki, Sophie Gurney and Erika Hamilton all bested their opponents.
To Emerald’s credit, the game scores belied some very tight matches, with several games sitting on Deuce/ Advantage for up to 10 rallies.
The final doubles pairings saw the team’s fifth player, Owen Kelly, swapped into the Number 4 position. The concluding doubles matches, with changed up pairs, saw Matthew and Kylani make short work of Emerald’s Number 1 and 3 players, while Erica and Owen dropped their set.
But it was academic by that stage with Warrandyte taking the flag 6 sets to 2, with an emphatic game score of 40-28.

JDC3 Saturday 14/9/19

Despite being top of the Junior Development Competition section 3 throughout the season, Warrandyte were pushed all the way by second placed Wantirna Blue in their rain delayed home final and it ultimately came down to a 5 game set tie breaker to take the flag.Winning the first set 5-3 the second set was drawn (4-4) and despite some nervous moments, Warrandyte managed to win the 3 games necessary in the third set (3-5) to force the match to a tie breaker.
The atmosphere on the clubhouse balcony was so tense that some parents simply could not watch!
On winning the tie breaker 4 games to 1, Junior Convenor Tony Honeyborne had nothing but praise for both teams.
“The spirit with which the whole match was played was a credit to these young players at the start of their tennis careers and every year the standard just seems to get higher with protracted rallies and some well executed placement.
“It was tough handing the runners up medals to the Wantirna players things were so even, and the match, as you often see in tennis at the highest level, ultimately came down to a couple of points at crucial moments.

WITH THE Home and Away season drawing to a close, all three tiers at Warrandyte Football Club are playing for a spot in the Finals.

Seniors

Warrandyte arrested their run of losses with a strong win over Chirnside Park.

But concurrent defeats in the following weeks against Ferntree Gully and South Belgrave leave the Bloods fighting for the last spot in the Division 3 Finals.

Josh Appleby and Nicholas Johnstone returned to the side for the home clash against Chirnside while Josh Huntly was named for his first senior game, Warrandyte’s 13th debutant of 2019.

With Chirnside Park intent on logging their first win of the season, the Bloods were mindful of the Panthers’ fast start in their previous encounter but two quick-fire goals ensured history would repeat itself.

Goals to Jack, Tom and Nathan Grimes sparked a six-goal run to the Bloods who took an 18-point advantage into the first break.

They pulled further away in the second quarter as Josh Meyers and Jack Grimes dominated around the park while forwards Quinn Clark and Luke Dunn hit the scoreboard.

Clark struck twice more in the third term and the 40-point three quarter time deficit proved unassailable for Chirnside as an eight-goal-to-five second half sealed a much-needed 53-point win for Warrandyte.

Kyle Thompson continued his fine season, sparking multiple rebounding efforts out of defence where Warrandyte’s kicking efficiency going inside fifty led to Warrandyte having eight multiple goal-kickers for the day.

Clark led the goal-scorers with three for the day and Jack Grimes was appropriately named Best on Ground for his performance.

In extraordinary playing conditions at Ferntree Gully the following week, the Bloods were forced into a hard slog in a hail-storm up the mountain.

Against second placed Ferntree, Warrandyte’s back six were under pressure for the majority of the match as the Eagles made the most of the mire to kick the only four goals of the game.

The loss of backman Andrew White just 10 minutes into the first quarter would hurt Warrandyte as the game progressed.

While the goal-kickers column was empty for the day, the efforts of Versteegen, Powell, Oliver and Thompson in defence were outstanding.

While Chris Tout was solid in the midfield on a day where it was hard to find much precision in a forgetable 29-point loss.

Warrandyte faced their hardest match of the year in Round 14; facing off against the undefeated South Belgrave.

The Bloods made their intentions known early in a physical first quarter, with both sides sharing the honours.

A goalless second quarter and six to South Belgrave put the Bloods on the back foot, trailing by 45 points.

Tout, Grimes (Jack) and Donahoo worked hard in a bruising midfield encounter and quick-fire goals to Dunn, Beasley and Jaffrey to start the third quarter launched Warrandyte back within four goals.

But another five to the Saints following left the side needing to overcome a 56-point at the final change, a margin that proved insurmountable for Warrandyte.

Despite the ten-goal defeat, a highlight to come out of the match was defender Versteegens performance on Division 3 leading goal-kicker Leigh Odermatt, who he kept to just one goal to take out the Bloods Best on Ground, his second in as many weeks.

With four rounds to go, Warrandyte is currently in fourth spot but tied on wins with Waverley and Donvale.

The Bloods will take on both teams in the run home in what’s sure to be a thrilling conclusion to the home and away season.

The Reserves dished out a 100-point drubbing to Chirnside Park but fell to both top placed sides in Ferntree Gully and South Belgrave and currently need everything to go their way for a shot at finals footy.

On-baller Tim Beasley was everywhere early and Andre Balemian put in his best game of the season playing off the wing with two goals to his name, winning him Best on Ground honours.

Gareth Hitchman and Josh Beasley enjoyed a shoot-out inside the Bloods’ forward line with Hitchman edging Beasley five goals to four in Beasley’s first game back from overseas.

Warrandyte took an imposing 10-goal lead into half-time and never looked back, slamming on another eight goals to take out a 96-point win.

A sterner test awaited them against Ferntree Gully and like the Senior side they were subject to the worst of the winter weather.

In a low-scoring affair, Josh Hale and Kyle Speers rose to the occasion to slot the Bloods only two goals of the match and were strong around the contests on a day suited for hard ball gets.

Warrandyte found themselves just eight points behind the second-placed Eagles at half-time but suffered the loss of backman Drew Corke to a season-ending knee injury during the second quarter.

Clean marking from Tim Foster down back was instrumental to keep the Bloods in the game, needing to overcome a 13-point three-quarter time deficit to pull off a famous win.

Both sides played the ball down the middle of the ground in a wet and wild back and forth but an early goal to Ferntree in the last quarter put the game to bed, Warrandyte falling to a 17-point defeat.

The challenges kept coming for Warrandyte who took on first placed South Belgrave in Round 14.

With a good side in, the Bloods were intent on causing an upset and keeping their season alive but the class of South Belgrave was immediately obvious.

Tim Beasley and Josh Appleby worked hard in the midfield for the majority of the game to move the ball forward but Warrandyte’s attacks were repelled by an experienced opposition.

With a half-time deficit of 10 goals, the Bloods were forced to work hard to get something out of the game and a move up the ground proved fruitful for Tim Foster who slotted the Bloods’ first early in the fourth quarter.

Dave Wilson gave the Bloods their second but Warrandyte were consigned to their second heavy defeat to the Saints.

The Reserves currently sit sixth, two games behind fourth spot and need to win all four remaining games along with favourable results elsewhere to be a chance of playing finals footy.

Warrandyte’s U19s are all but locked into Finals, sitting in second and displaying imperious form on the back of some strong victories.

The Bloods were toppled just once in July football, falling to ladder leader South Belgrave by 20 points in their rematch at Warrandyte Reserve.

Boell, Addison and Van Der Ree had their hands full in defence against some slick ball movement but weathered the storm well down back for Warrandyte.

Blake Trevorrow continues to be one of the sides most consistent performers, named in the best players for the fifth week running.

Darcy Poole made it 11 goals in three games as he hit a purple patch, but ultimately Warrandyte will be forced to wait for another crack at the Saints come finals time.

The Bloods didn’t miss a beat against their previous opponents, however.

In squalid conditions up at Ferntree Gully, Warrandyte’s big three forwards in Poole, Padfield and Clark combined for 11 of the Bloods’ 13 goals while the back six managed to keep the Eagles goalless for the match in an exceptional all-round performance.

Just one win behind 1st placed South Belgrave, Warrandyte will be looking to sew up the double chance on the run home.

THE BIG FREEZE swept over Warrandyte as the Tennis and Junior Football organisations helped raise awareness and funds for Motor Neurone Disease.
An intuitive initiative by the tennis club allowed them to run their own ice bucket challenge at the tennis courts.
The installation of their new irrigation system forced the club to load up buckets of water for general use around their rooms and courts and inspired by a “waste not want not” mentality, the club announced that they would be holding their own Big Freeze event with their excess water.
Warrandyte Community Bank representatives Adrian Yong and Dee Dickson were in attendance and with the help of junior players Hamish Pattenden, Oliver Liu, Callum Aldenhoven and Harvey Arifovic, were granted the pleasure of tipping the buckets of ice-cold water over the brave participants.
The dunkees in question were none other than Craig Haslam, Ariel Paterson, Wayne Bradford and Maree Neil who were suitably soaked in the name of a good cause.
The outstanding effort by the club raised $210, making their mark for an important cause.
Over at Warrandyte Reserve, the Junior Football club’s round eight home game were a “true blue success” as the club also joined in to #FightMND.
The Under 15 side donned the classic blue MND socks in their game while the club put up a host of MND merchandise for sale to raise funds with as many as 100 beanies snapped up by supporters.
It was a fantastic show of support for MND Round by Warrandyte’s sporting organisations in a strong community display that all involved with should be proud of.

Men and Youth Women sides set themselves for finals

WARRANDYTE’S Division One Men and Youth League Women look poised for Big V finals as the season passes the halfway mark.

Division One Men

Heading into the Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend, the Mens team are currently 2nd on the ladder with 11 wins.

The men’s side are perched comfortably with the standout being import Jacob Thom, who has well and truly settled in to life at the organisation.

He’s averaging 20 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists over 15 games, including an impressive dunk against Collingwood that featured in the Big V highlights reel.

Brenton Charles continues to provide good support for the side, currently placed second in the division for average assists and total assists with 77 so far this season.

Bryan Moore and Andrew Kelly have also been solid scoring options for the Venom.

Although they broke their four-game win streak against Western Port Steelers in Round 11, the team will be hard to stop in the backend of the season.

Youth League One Women

The Youth League Women have hit a similar vein of form at the midway point of the season, sitting two games clear in 4th position — despite losing their last two matches — thanks to a five-game win streak to start the season.

Venom’s Ellie Caruana (Round 5) and Claudie Kuen (Round 7) also received Blue Carpet nominations — which is a round-by-round list of the 12 best men and women players in the entire Big V League.

They seem to have a penchant for the close encounters, which includes a two-point victory over Keilor in Round 8 and a hard defensive effort against Eltham leading them to a one-point victory against their crosstown rivals in Round 9.

A 41-point rout of Corio Bay in Round 7 stands as their most comprehensive performance, with Kuens 30 points rounding out a dominant display.

Division One Women

The Women’s side have started to get their campaign rolling, despite sitting second from the bottom of the ladder, the team have been playing well.

Skipper Meg Dargan continues to set the pace for her side, averaging 11 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists with her best returns coming against Camberwell and Bellarine.

In Round 7, a 20-point final quarter against third-placed Bellarine gave the Venom their first win of the season, an important scalp to get their season underway and instil some confidence in a talented side.

Dargan again proved to be the difference with an impressive season-high 23 points.

In a strange turn of events, the away fixture against Mildura was called off at half-time due to a significant water leak making the court unsafe for play, turning the match into a veritable “wet weather game.”

Youth League One Men

The Youth League Men also sit last in their division despite getting off to good starts against finals bound Bendigo and the undefeated Ballarat in the last month.

Sebastian Goldby led the side with 17 points and 10 rebounds against Hume in Round 8, prevailing by three points for their second win of the season.

The sides only other triumph was a thrilling one-point win against Werribee in Round 3 with Goldby, Harrison Ayton and Mitchell Kerr- Read all throwing in solid scoring contributions.

Despite a 2–13 record, the Venom have shown promising signs in numerous close games and will look to square the ledger as the season

AFTER 43 YEARS of faithful service to the Warrandyte Cricket Club, long-time 1st XI scorer and club volunteer Ann Pascoe has decided to pack away her signature coloured pens and step away from official club duties.
One of the Warrandyte community’s longest serving sports volunteers, Ann’s combined years of service between Norwood and Warrandyte tallies up to five decades.
For 43 years, Warrandyte’s 1st XI enjoyed immaculate scorebooks thanks to Pascoe’s signature coloured pens and impeccably neat handwriting, along with the use of her own symbols for ducks, wides, leg byes, et cetera.
Her involvement with the club began in 1977, when husband, Steve Pascoe crossed from Norwood to take up the club’s first coaching position.Ann took up the scoring for the 1st XI, and has been doing it ever since.
Renowned league-wide for her well-kept books, Pascoe also held the positions of Treasurer and Secretary.
With such a unique approach to scoring, Ann admits the idea of using multi-coloured markers came from overseas.
“Coloured pens came into it around the 90’s — I scored over in Windsor, England and they had an elderly gentleman score for them.
“He scored in coloured pencils and I thought that’s a good idea, so I came home and started doing it here,” she said.
Ann achieved life membership at both Warrandyte and the Ringwood District Cricket Association in 1993, and holds the distinction of being the first and only female on the league’s life member honour board.
After approximately 550 games, 95,000 runs, 4,600 wickets and three 1st XI premierships, Ann has seen just about all there is to see on the cricket field including almost 200 players come through the ranks of the club’s top-tier.
“The club’s part of my life.
“I’ve seen a lot of those kids grow up — a lot of them weren’t even born when I first started there — it’s been good, but it’s time to give it up.”
However, the end of an era doesn’t necessarily mean the end of Ann’s involvement with the club, stating that she still intends to watch her beloved firsts on a Saturday afternoon, taking a deserved break
“It’s not like I’m not going to be around the club, I just don’t want to sit for six hours and score and concentrate for however many overs.
I still want to be involved — I just want to sit there and watch them play.”
An extract from the RDCA Annual Report of 2001/2002 remarked that: “It is unlikely there would be many scorers throughout the cricket world with greater longevity.”
This statement stood the test of time as it would be a further 18 years before Pascoe only recently announced that she was vacating the scorer’s chair.
With the thanks of an eternally grateful 1st XI side, and the club overall, Ann fittingly scored her last game against Norwood in the last round of the season and brought to a close one of the more remarkable careers in Warrandyte sport.

THE BUSHFIRES in Gippsland and an unexpected Total Fire Ban may have put some people off, but those who congregated at Warrandyte Reserve for the ninth instalment on Run Warrandyte were not left hot and bothered.

An expanded event village and an impressive array of businesses on the netball courts meant there was plenty for runners to see, do, buy, drink and chat about before the business of running commenced.

For the second year in a row, runners would ascend the slopes of Everard Drive before taking to the trails in The Pound, which included — thanks to the generous support of Jan Day — a mad-dash through the grounds of her property between Pound Road and the riverside walking trail.

Although some were caught out by the heat, most managed to complete their chosen distance with a smile, and a one-litre drink bottle courtesy of Warrandyte Community Bank was well received.

This year’s 15km race was taken by

Johnny Kingma, a runner from the northeast suburbs who, the previous week, placed 6th in the 42km course at the Roller Coaster Run in the Dandenong Ranges.

It is the first time that Johnny has run the course and he told the Diary how he was impressed at how scenic it is.

Early Morning warmup

Ryder Nummy crosses the line with his Dad Aaron

Very welcome drinks station at Jan Day’s

People of all ages, from all over Victoria came to Warrandyte to participate in our villages annual fun run and talk on the ground is that people were surprised by the course and thoroughly enjoyed it.

With a smattering of attendance from local running clubs including Generation Run, Diamond Creek Runners, Westerfoldians and Victorian Ultra Runners, race organisers hope talk of the Run Warrandyte course will spread and that attendance will be up for next year.

Of course, 2020 will be the 10th anniversary of the run, planning has already started on what should be another awesome instalment of Warrandyte’s most athletic event on the festival calendar.

WORLD NUMBER One wheelchair tennis player, Dylan Alcott had a hit-up with the kids’ at the South Warrandyte Tennis courts in February.

He was there to present a cheque from the ANZ Bank to the Warrandyte Tennis Club to enable them to install five purpose-built kids courts.

The South Warrandyte annex of the Warrandyte Tennis Club will convert two of their full-size tennis courts into two “Red Ball” courts, which are 1/4-size courts, and three 3/4-size “Orange Ball” courts.

The ANZ Tennis Hot Shots program allows kids to gain tennis skills and technique on smaller courts before having to develop the power to hit on the full size courts.

The low compression balls make the game fun and accessible for kids as young as three.

Warrandyte Tennis Club head coach Craig Haslam says they applied for the grant because the facility has been under-utilised, but with the renovation they will be able to participate in junior inter-club competitions.

“I am hoping that a lot of kids from all around the area will be able to play their matches here — tournaments too,” Craig said.

While this does remove two of the full-size courts from the Club’s fixture, there will still be eight adults’ courts available across the club’s two sites.

Dylan Alcott told the Diary he was “super-pumped” to come out to Warrandyte because he said it is important to support the next generation of young tennis players.

“You might not win the Australian Open, but tennis is such a great sport — it keeps you fit, and puts a smile on your face,” he said.

Along with the cheque, the club received merchandise, equipment, signage and access to a local ANZ specialist.

Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said: “We are grateful for ANZ’s ongoing support of tennis and the ANZ Tennis Hot Shots program, and their commitment to growing the game from the grassroots level up.

“We’re excited for South Warrandyte Tennis Club and we know they will make the most of this wonderful opportunity.”

The grant will be supplemented by additional funding from Manningham Council.

ANZ Tennis Hot Shots is Tennis Australia’s official development program with a record 543,850 children between three and 12 years of age playing ANZ Tennis Hot Shots in 2017/18.

ANZ Tennis Hot Shots use smaller courts, lighter racquets, lower nets and low compression balls making it suitable for children of all abilities.

PULSES were racing at South Warrandyte Cricket Club over Australia Day weekend as the 1stand 2nd XI sat in 4th, just two points clear of 5th place.

The club has been buoyed in recent weeks by the return of favourite son and Western Bulldogs Premiership player Shane Biggs.

The last time Biggs played for South Warrandyte was the 2010/11 season.

Biggs helped the 2nd XI in two tight chases in the games leading up to the Christmas break with not-out innings in both.

In addition to Biggs, the club has also seen the return of Scott Brasher to the 2nd XI.

Brasher last played in for the 6th XI in the 2016/17 season where he helped the South Warrandyte reach the Grand Final in the K Grade.

Former club Junior and Fitzroy-Doncaster player Mitch Chappie debuts for the 1st XI in their Round 12 match against 7th place St Andrews who have won only one of their six games going into Australia Day weekend.

1st XI

Their up down season has continued, with the team unable to maintain its strong form going into the break.

A win against North Ringwood was offset by heavy defeats to Croydon North and Scoresby.

Tom Peter-Budge and Josh Barrett have continued their strong form with the bat however, and along with Josh Exley, will be key to club for the rest of the season.

2nd XI

The 2ndXI four-game winning-streak came to an end in Round 11, losing by only 10 runs in a tight run-chase against Warranwood.

Despite the loss, there was excitement in the stands when 14-year-old Lucas “Big Dog” Bridger made 38.

In the games leading up to the Australia Day weekend, Lucas has taken 12 wickets and made 84 runs.

The club is looking forward to watching this up-and-coming youngster progress over the months and years ahead.

3rd XI

Sitting on no wins and with a bye for Australia Day weekend, the 3rd XI can only hope for a win in the final game of the home and away season where they will face 4th place Boronia on February 23.

Despite their run of bad luck, 60-year-old Lachie McMahon is having a career-high year, accumulating 183 runs with an average of 36.

The club also continues to watch the development of 3rd XI youngsters Rhonan Appleby and Kyan Brasher.

Stat attack:1st XI leaders after 11 Rounds

Batting Overalls (total runs; average)

Tom Peter- Budge — 347; 34.7

Josh Exley — 339; 30.82

Josh Barret — 244 ; 27.11

Bowling Overalls (wickets; average)

Josh Exley — 15 wickets; 16.8

Josh Barret — 13 Wickets; 20.92

Syed Musavi — 10 Wickets; 19.6

Lack Livingstone — 8 Wickets; 27.13

South Warrandyte “stalwart” honoured with Australia Day award

THE 2019 MENZIES Community Australia Day Awards were held on January 26 at the Manningham Function Centre.

Presented by Federal Member for Menzies, Kevin Andrews, the awards are bestowed on those members of the community who make the country a better place to live.

In presenting the awards, Mr Andrews told the gathering:

“Today we honour a group of individuals who come in many different guises, in many stages of life in a variety of activities that have all sought to contribute to our community.

“We acknowledge them, we encourage them, and we thank them.

“We recognise it is not government, it is not grand plans, but the commitment and dedication of individuals and families that ultimately build a great nation.

“We are a fortunate country because of those who we celebrate today and many others like them who have dedicated their efforts and time to serving others in our community.”

Alan Duffus

“Alan Duffus has always loved sport from a young age, especially cricket and is known as a stalwart of the South Warrandyte Cricket Club.

After retiring from the game in his mid-twenties, Alan resumed playing veterans cricket in 1990 and, at the age of 77, he has played one match in the Over 40s and one in the Over 60s this season.

He has played well in excess of 200 veterans games, notwithstanding the number of senior games he played for the South Warrandyte Cricket Club.

He has used his knowledge and skills in the game by being active in coaching and giving assistance to Captains in junior cricket.

A Grand Final in Division 2 for South Warrandyte in 1994 was a special thrill for Alan.

He has been an administrative coordinator for 25 years and served in the Ringwood and District Cricket Association committee for many years.

He always says he was a decade late as he started playing Over 40s as a 52 year-old, Over 50s when he was over 60, the only time he has played veterans cricket in his own age group was at 65 when he played in the over 60s.

We hope to see you playing in the Over 80s and 90s.”

Alan says he feels over-awed by the award.

“I was always one to help children, when I had learnt a sport, I could pass that on, and you don’t see this [receiving an award] as something that will happen,” he said.

Alan told the Diary he joined South Warrandyte Cricket Club to start up a veterans’ team in 1993/94.

“This is the first year I have not been on the committee since that time.”

He was treasurer for 12 years in total, with the last couple of years mentoring a protégé.

“A young fellow who was doing his accounting course and put his hand up for doing the treasurers job, so I looked after him for two years,” he said.

And he has also been a mentor on the field.

“I really enjoyed coaching juniors, including my grandson, he started in the under 12s and went through.

“That was really beneficial because you see young children start at one stage and now they are playing in the Seniors, in the 1s,” he said.

Before retirement, Alan worked at the Australian Dairy Corporation as an accountant.

“They did a test and came to the conclusion that I was more an educator than a figures man, so teaching falls very easily,” he said.

“I have an eye for what people do wrong, some people don’t like being told, so I don’t press it, it is up to them if they want to listen — the young usually do, it is the older ones that don’t.”

Alan has recently taken up lawn bowls and carried the same ethos with him to that sport.

“I bowled with a young lass last season who was 13 years old, and I was bowling against her and I noticed a fault in her backhand and I pointed it out straight away — I was sorry I did because she beat me!” he said.

Alan is a life member at South Warrandyte Cricket Club and looks forward to continuing his involvement with the club, and is now also the treasurer at Heathmont Bowls Club,

“I have always felt that you can benefit a group by using your qualifications, and so I have done several treasurer stints,” he said.

Alan loves sport and says that it is not just the physical aspect of sport that keeps you young.

“I went there to play vets, but I still played senior cricket, so I was involved with young people, and I think that by being involved with young people you stay young yourself.”

Warrandyte’s home of cricket reached a special milestone when the 2nd XI took to the field in Round 2 for Warrandyte Cricket Clubs 1000th senior game at the venue.

Campbell Holland’s men made history against Lilydale as the 1000th senior side to play a competitive game of cricket on the main oval.

The twos rose to the occasion on a proud day for the club.

Set 173 to win, they chased down the total with overs to spare and only four down for a six-wicket victory and incidentally, the clubs 470th on the WCG.

It was a fitting result for the mainstay of the Warrandyte sporting community.

The ground, steeped in local cricketing folklore, has seen the entire scope of possibilities you could imagine in the game of cricket.

Bloods premierships, outrights, reverse outrights, no less than three 1st XI relegation saving nail-biters, several facility renovations and a who’s who of Warrandyte Cricket Club legends who have graced the green turf.

WCG history

The grounds history dates back as early as the goldfields era, where social games were played by locals, including Warrandyte cricketing pioneers Walter Charles Brackenbury and William Collins.

Its earliest mention in publication came in an article by the Bell’s Life in Victoria newspaper about a match between Andersons Creek (now Warrandyte) and Caledonia (now St Andrews) on New Year’s Day, 1864.

The game was described as being played on “the picturesque ground of the latter,” referring to the Reserve.

Competitive cricket was first played at Warrandyte in 1905, when the club was part of the Cameron Cricket Association.

The inaugural side found the going tough in a low scoring affair which handed them their first defeat, a reverse-outright, against Christmas Hills.

A humbling beginning for the club at home but not without its positives as John Till took 6/5 in a fine bowling display, hoping to set a competitive tone for a bloods side in its infancy.

The WCG has played host to cricketing royalty, most notably in the Centenary match against the Victorian Cricket Association in 1956.

Warrandyte’s finest competed against a star-studded VCA side, including Australian cricketers of the day in Jack Iverson, Colin McDonald, Lindsay Kline and legendary Aussie opening batsman Bill Ponsford.

Club legends

Many players have spent their Saturdays on the turf at Bloods central but only a select few have really turned the oval into happy hunting grounds.

The highest wicket-taker at home is none other than the mercurial Gerald Walshe, who sent 335 victims back to the pavilion over the course of his 30-year career.

The White family name and Warrandyte Reserve go hand-in-hand, with legendary batsman Robert White’s 3097 runs on the ground eclipsed only by his son Adams 3178.

Warrandyte stalwart Dave Mooney comes in at third on the all-time Warrandyte Reserve runs list and has graced the coveted turf the most out of any player in Bloods history, 165 times over the course of his career.

Premiership spoils

In 113 years, only 55 men have had the pleasure of claiming a premiership victory on the ground itself.

Warrandyte’s inaugural premiership side of 1906/07 took out the A-grade flag in a historic game against Yarra Glen.

The 4th XI side of 2006/07 found success in the K-Grade Grand Final thanks in part to Josh McKellars 6/36 to take the game away from Olinda.

Two years later on the same ground, the 5th XI romped to a 125-run victory against Norwood to claim the M-Grade pennant.

Grand Final cricket returned to the oval seven years later when the 5th XI advanced to the J-Grade decider against Templeton, securing a tightly fought game by 10 runs after posting just 125 in the first innings, with wickets to Aaron Dean and a crucial catch at short cover for the last wicket by skipper Nathan Croft the deciding factors.

A year later the 4th XI made it back-to-back WCC titles at home in the F-Grade decider, this time finding a comfortable win against Heathmont Baptist by 80 runs on the back of a Dan Wellesley century and four wickets Dean Gidley.

In recent times, a fateful Jake Sherriff hat-trick at the ground would propel the 1st XI to the Bill Wilkins decider, where the “First’s” 31-year premiership drought was broken in emphatic fashion.

A growing family

The club started with a single team back in 1905 but just 50 metres down the road, a new chapter was written in the history of the club at the younger Warrandyte Reserve #2 with the club’s inaugural 7th XI recording their first victory, a remarkable result no-one may have predicted at the inception of the club all the way back in 1855.

Nowadays, the ground is home to 10 juniors teams, three veterans sides and the seven senior teams that make up the Warrandyte Cricket Club and as of Round 2, the clubs stat-line at the ground stands at 470 wins, 368 losses, 7 ties, 51 no result matches and 104 unrecorded games with a winning percentage of 58 percent.

Warrandyte Reserve and the WCC have been enter-twined entities for 1000 games, and with such a strong core of players, young and old, the WCG promises to proudly remain the clubs home base for 1000 games to come.

After a productive pre-season at the WCG, the cricket club launched its 2018/19 campaign in style at the local clubrooms.

Club President Ryan Hoiberg addressed the strong crowd in attendance after the final pre-season hit-out of the year, announcing a raft of key changes around the club, including the introduction of a 7th XI side due to a growing number of players.

“From a club perspective, looking back six or seven years ago when we struggled to get three or four teams on the park, to suddenly have seven sides competing just shows the clubs continued growth which is sensational,” said Hoiberg.

Former President Greg Warren was named as Captain of the inaugural side and Treasurer Ben Sproat was announced as Vice-Captain.

New coach Scott Handley delivered his maiden speech to the attendees, outlining the recent reshuffling of the leadership team and his vision for the immediate future of the club.

“I’ve never coached a club this big before, it’s fantastic to see 50 to 60 blokes around the place.

“I’d like to thank Ryan and Greg for giving me the opportunity to come in as coach of the club and I’ve loved the energy so far,” said Handley.

The announcement of club captains was headlined by Ayrton Dehmel retaining the 1st XI role with his deputy and reigning Steve Pascoe medallist Luke Killey named as Vice-Captain for the sides return to the Bill Wilkins Cup.

Campbell Holland will continue as 2nd XI skipper and Brandon Stafford was named as Vice-Captain.

Bill Stubbs will continue to helm the 6th XI side that made it to last season’s Grand Final.

Four new captains were announced to lead the remaining sides.

The 3rd, 4th and 5th XI teams will be helmed by Luke Warren, Shaun Ison and Pete Hanson.

Junior competition

Warrandyte’s prided Juniors program has been identified as a key part of the upsurge of players in recent years and continues to go from strength to strength.

A record 10 teams are set to compete this year, including two new girl’s teams spear-headed by Sophie Day.

Day has worked tirelessly in the off-season to generate interest in the new teams.

“Sophie has been doing some unbelievable work to engage with new cricketers for the upcoming season,” said Hoiberg.

Sponsors

Warrandyte’s community sponsors were also on hand to get the season underway, including The Grand Hotel Warrandyte, Quintons Supa IGA, Bendigo Bank and local member for Warrandyte MP Ryan Smith.

The club also confirmed new sponsors Donvale Rotary Club and Jellis Craig Real Estate.

Spirit of Thommo

Good core values are the key to promoting a positive club culture.

In memory of Andrew Thomas, who passed earlier this year, at the end of the season, the club will bestow the inaugural Spirit of Thommo award for the member who best exemplifies the clubs core values over course of the coming season.

Kicking off the season in style

Mick Spence wasted no time settling in to the 2018/19 cricket season, rewriting the Warrandyte Cricket Club history books with a blistering 200* runs in the opening round.

Spence has become the clubs second double-centurion in the Bloods 163-year history, a mere 12 runs behind club legend Cameron Day and number one on the individual score table (212 2014/15)

Spence walked out to the crease at Stintons Reserve in the 11th over with the Bloods sitting at 2/53.

By the close of his innings he had driven Warrandyte’s score to an imposing 8/370, scoring more than half that total off his own bat.

The runs came early for the number three batsman who picked apart the opposition bowling attack with exceptional technical prowess.

His 61-over stint was chanceless until the later stage of the innings, utilising the cover drive to its full effect.

Spence sent a staggering 28 deliveries to the fence including 27 fours and a six.

Spence was just as instrumental in the bowling attack, sending down a marathon spell of 18 overs the following week to record figures of 1/28 with five maidens to subdue a determined South Croydon batting line-up.

He consistently cramped up the opposition batsman with full, left arm in-swing bowling and did not concede a single extra in his 108-deliveries.

His all-round performance proved to be the deciding factor in the C-Grade contest as the first-innings total proved insurmountable for South Croydon who fell short by 110 runs.

ROUND 15 of the 2018 Big V Basketball League was coined the “Life Members Round” and during the break between the Division One Women and Division One Men on the Sunday, Warrandyte Basketball Club’s life members were recognised by the club.

Club President Emma MacDougal spoke to the Diary about how much the club values the effort and time life members have put in and continue to put in.

“The aim is to reflect on the contributions they have made and recognise it in a really meaningful way in terms of the work they did to set the club up and setting the wheels in motion to get the club to the point where it is.

We have a number of life members who have invested significant amounts of their time into the club to make it successful,” she said.

Justin Nelson, Warrandyte Basketball former coach, and current general manager for the Melbourne Boomers told us about the clubs development and how the life members are the embodiment of the club’s history.

“I was privileged to be able to coach Big V here for 10 years, we won a lot of Championships, and were in a lot of Grand Finals.

“The club through the late 2000s was quite extraordinary, and now Warrandyte Basketball is home to a whole brigade of young kids coming through the ranks, which is really good to see… the Warrandyte community really does extend through its sporting clubs, a lot of clubs in this area are really family focused.”

Justin’s work with the Boomers means he is unable to be as active in the Warrandyte club as he would like, but he treasures his time spent coaching Warrandyte Venom and hopes to come back in the future.

“To be able to coach more than 200 State league games here was exciting and I hope to be able to help off the court and help the next generation come through”.

After the life members presentation, some of the Junior players played a seven minute exhibition match, demonstrating the quality of their coaching and their passion for the game, a passion Cameron Whitmore, 11 and Hamish Thompson, 10 exude off court as well as on it.

“I like the competition and it is always good to get a win,” said Cameron.

“I have been playing Basketball for four years, I normally play point guard — I love that I get to play with my friends and I have an amazing coach and I love the competition,” said Hamish.

With two rounds to go, both Men’s and Women’s Division One teams are unlikely to see a place in the Grand Final this season but the club’s passion, experience and quality is reflected in all members of Warrandyte Basketball club.

Warrandyte Basketball Association (WBA) has announced the appointment of Ryan Holloway to the position of Coaching Advisor.

In a statement released by the club’s committee of management, they outlined the considerable experience Holloway brings to the role.

“Ryan has extensive experience in coaching, having coached for both Warrandyte and Park Orchards teams in the Eastern Districts Junior Basketball League (EDJBA) and for Warrandyte Venom in the Victoria Junior Basketball League (VJBL).

“His skills as a coach are highlighted by coaching many EDJBA A grade teams and VJBL Victorian Championship level teams.

“Ryan has had experience in the State program as an NITP coach and Assistant Coach with the Victorian Ivor Burge Men’s program.

“He is currently the Head Coach for the Australian Dingoes U21 team (Deaf Basketball Australia), Head Coach for a Warrandyte Venom U14 team and Assistant Coach for Australian Boomerangs.

“Ryan holds a Masters of Exercise Science and a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science, is a Level 2 NCAS Association Basketball Coach, Level 2 Referee Coach, and a Level 1A Grade Referee.”

Ryan is also currently the Vice Chairperson for Disability Sports Victoria and the Warrandyte Park Orchards Referee Branch President.

WBA has 40 EDJBA teams and 21 VJBL teams as well as four Big V Venom Teams.

The statement goes on to say the club is looking to “grow and strengthen current domestic and representative programs by supporting its volunteer coaches through the provision of developmental opportunities”.

In his new role, Ryan will be “responsible for developing and delivering a coaching program to support fundamental skills acquisition of our volunteer coaches.

Having played basketball for Warrandyte Redbacks, Venom and Big V Youth League, together with his coaching experience and qualifications, the committee says they are confident that Ryan will be a great addition to the Warrandyte Basketball Association.

“We are looking forward to working with him, and the coaches of all our Venom and Redbacks teams benefiting from his contribution to our programs.”